Asparagus washer



ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed June 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l z jgii' INVENTOR CTWHOOIQ/ BY 7 Q-ZM%NEYL Nov. 11, 1 941. c. w. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed June 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR C. W1 H0017 ATTORNEY a 5 L Hm I Q Nov. 11, 1941. c. w. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 27; 1939 INVENTOR C. W. H0 011/ Patented Nov. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,262,607 ASPARAGUS WASHER Clyde W. Hoon, Rio Vista, Calif.

Application June 27, 1939, Serial No. 281,381

6 Claims.

This invention relates to asparagus washing machines, and particularly represents improvements over the washer shown in my copendin application for patent, Ser. No. 141,499, filed May 8, 1937 and which became Patent No. 2,197,978 on April 23, 1940.

The principal object of the present invention is to simplify and at the same time improve the device employed for holding down the asparagus while it is being out and washed, and which will function with equal eflioiency whether it engages a single layer of asparagus or a stack of the same.

The construction and mounting of the rotary asparagus supporting table itself is also simplified and improved over that of the original apparatus.

I have also provided an improved spray pipe arrangement.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved washer.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation along the washing tunnel, as on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but drawn as though the structure followed a straight rather than a curved path.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged radial section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the supporting framework of the machine comprises horizontal crossing beams I mounted a suitable height from the floor, and supporting an upstanding circular band 2 disposed adjacent the outer end of the beams.

The rotary table which is supported on the frame comprises a deep, endless circular band'3 of large diameter, riding on flanged rollers 4 mounted on the band 2. A short distance above its lower edge, arms 5 are rigidly secured on and project radially out from the band 3. These arms support a plurality of relatively small shallow bands 6, disposed in spaced and concentric relation to each other and to band 3. The upper edges of bands 6 are all on the same level, so as to form an asparagus supporting grate; such level being a considerable distance below the top of band 3, which forms a back stop for the tips of the asparagus stalks supported on the table in substantially radiating relation thereto. ,An intermediate pair of the bands 6 are more widely spaced than the remainder, as plainly shown in Fig. 3, the radially innermost band 6a of said pair cooperating on its outer edge with a rotary disc cutter I. This cutter is mounted on a shaft 8 extending radially of the table above the band 3, and journaled in a fixed position on the frame in any suitable manner. An electric motor 9, supported on the frame preferably radially in from the table, is connected to the shaft 8 in driving relation, as in the previous apparatus.

The table is rotated at a suitable speed by means of another motor 10 mounted on one of the frame beams l radially inward of the table and connected by a belt drive I l or otherwise with a pinion I2 disposed a short distance ahead of the cutter 1 relative to the direction of rotation of the table. This pinion meshes with an inverted ring gear 13 secured on the radially inner face of the band. By reason of the construction and mounting of the table as above described it will be seen that the band 3 forms the backbone of the table, from which the latter is both supported and driven, and hence need be the only relatively heavy member of the structure. As a result, the asparagus supporting portion of the table, which carries only a small load at any point, may be made much lighter than was the case with the previous structure without any sacrifice of necessary strength.

The cutter I, and a portion of the table both ahead of and beyond the same, are enclosed by an arcuate tunnel l4 mounted on the frame. A water pipe I5 extends along the tunnel below the top and at its radially inner side. A number of downwardly directing spray pipes iii are connected to pipe l5 by means of double swivel fittings IBa. The spray pipes may thus be swung to extend across the tunnel at difierent angles so as to spray over different radial distances or at different angles relative toa horizontal plane, or they may be turned about their axes so that the sprays may be directed downwardly at different angles to the perpendicular. In this manner asparagus stalks of any length may be efficiently washed.

' Another spray pipe 11 extends along the tunnel below the table and is arranged to direct sprays upwardly onto the asparagus between bands 3 and 6a. A third spray pipe unit, indicated at I8, may be mounted in the tunnel at its radially outer side and below the top, to direct sprays down onto the butt portions of the stalks, should this be desired.

Disposed in the tunnel ahead of the cutter 1 and near the top and radially inner side of the tunnel, is a vertically positioned sprocket wheel 19, whose diameter is considerably less than the distance from the top of the tunnel to the table. An endless chain 20 passes about the sprocket and extends substantially the full length of the tunnel as shown in Fig. 2. It may here be noted that while the chain is shown conventionally, actually it is a special though standard swivel type, capable of flexing in both horizontal and vertical directions.

The upper run of the chain is kept above spray means of a fixed supporting track 2| which curves down at its end opposite the sprocket as shown at 22. The lower nrun. of the chainnormally rides on one of the table bars 6, and is caused to sub-V stantially follow the curvature of the tunnel by means of roll 23 rigid with and projecting later-1.

ally from certain links of the chain to engage the band 3.

The chain is quite heavy, in orderthat its slack portion shall exert the necessary pressure on the asparagus, rather than from any load requirements.

Additional hold-down pressure on the chain and asparagus adjacent the cutter is had by ans. of; d er ro l rs ,3; d the lower un, i he: cha e ween, t e. ut er and spreek t' wh andmeu te g n n; a 2 extendin to, a pointbe nd he; ut r: and; pivota l mounted n he n L he total lene he t e ch in: hus ob ouslyv mu h re t h n twice; h tra h r i e; dis? ane rom he sp o he urved; ndro the tr k. .1 e n; ot er we d ehas a considerab e; eme t ieeh At t e meimev t e. m unt; of; slack is such that between; the sproqketand,

the table, the chain extends at an aeute angle to table as s nra h an; dependin straight; down, 7

A a. e t, of h s ang men sub anr ie ly v he'ped ace s prov dedr etween, the

ta le nd ha n, sot t theesnarasus dvanci with the table, whether in t a single layer or; stacked, can lift and; pass under the; adjacent i I f h ha n; h mi le f. ourse i in at the sam e time.

Order o r ve he ehainat ai ee svn h m nized with that of the table, andso thatitslower;

1 run. r s heeeme ir tiemas; the a l an endless chain 25 1s connected: in driving relation with the sprocket I 9 outside thetunnel one l n-er n a n a; snree et ini nilfifixed-coaxially with pinion I2 From the foregoing description it;;wil1='be-read e a I a e ue di u hi a de ce;- as. substantially fulfills ,the objectsof, the invention; 1 asset forth herein,

Whilethis specification sets forthdn detaihthe p e a preferred enst tien efu badeviee,

still inpractice-such deviations from suchdetail; 1 may be'i'resorted toas do notf orm adeparture 1 fromthe spirit of the invention, as-deijnedgby; the, appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I; l

l claim as new and useful and desire to secure-by Letters Patent is: j 1. Inan asparagus trimming apparatus which, includes. a. horizontally movable table for the; support of the asparagus to be trimmed, means; I to movetthe table in one direction and a relatively fixed cutter cooperating withone edge of;

the table; a relatively heavy endless'chain overhanging the table with its runs in a vertical plane 1 andextnding fromvahead of to beyond the cut ter, elements above the table supporting the j upperlrun of the chain ahead of and beyond the cutter, one element comprising a sprocket and ,the. other including means to prevent sagging 1 of said upper run between its points of support;

the length of the chain being such that its lower rundepends slack from the supporting elementtively heavy endless chain overhanging the table withits runs in a vertical plane and extending from ahead of to beyond the cutter, a sprocket mounted above and spaced from the table and engaging the chain ahead of the cutter and a track beyond the sprocket supporting and preventing the upper run of the chain from sagging; the, length; of the chain;be ing such; thatit: depends slack: from, the sprocket; and: rack: so, that, its); lower; fu nrnormallyrides; slackly;-on the; table,

3' In: nc parasus" r mmin ppar tus a roetary, table for the supportof; the asparagus-z to; be trimmed, means to turn the tableinonedirece tion, a fixed cutter cooperating with; one edge of; the table, a; relatively heavy endless chain, whose runs are disposed in spacedjhorizontalt planes and capable of; flexing bothin hcrizontal/ and vertical planes, saidchainextending circumferentially'ofthe table in overhanging relation: thereto from. ahead of to beyond the, cutter; a sprocket whose axis, is substantially' radial" with; the table engaging the upper; run; of; the chain, aheadof the cutter, a supporting anmguidetrack curved concentric with the table supporting; theupper run ofthe chain beyond the cutter; the length of the chain; being such that it depends;-. slack from the sprocket and track and its lowerr run rides slackly on the table,,means to turnithe: sprocket so that the chain:is driven anmmeans to maintain the lower run of; the chain; in a: path; substantially concentric with the table irrespective of vertical flexing of said lower run.

4; A structureasinclaimB in whichsaid last n me sm s mnr ses edsapr iee s e allw from the, chain; radially,inward of the, tableand;

a member concentric;; with;. and ;upstandingfrom; the table and engaged by -theouter ends .ofijhe to be trimmed, a fixed-trimming; cutter cooperat g ing withone edgeofi the table; and aedeviflewto hold; down the-asparagus while it isi being trimmed ;by;"

the; cutter, said device' comp rising; an endless;

member disposed with upperandrlower runs and capableof flexing both inhorizontal -anc;lvertical l nes, h l w un b i se ent da Q- e an:

the asparagus r and 3 extending V circumferentially;

of the table above; the same? from: ahead; ofp to;-

beyond thecutter, means supnoiit'ing the member, at. the ends ;of its ,runs, and including; a,- driving element; and, means to maintain the lower rumv of,=the member inatpath,substantiallwconeent c; with the/table. irrespectiveof, vertical. flexing; of

said lowerv run,

6. An apparatus as-,in 'claim.5,- in; which; said;

last named means; comprises elements projecting;

laterally] fromsaid member in, spaceeh, relation along the samein-adirection.radiallysinwarel of; thetable and a vsmooth facedcbandr concentric; with. and upstanding-from the, table; and-engaged;

by said,elementsatltheirr outer end.

CLYDEr noon; 

